Halloumi Salad

This is hands down one of my all time favourite salads. I personally am not a massive traditional salad fan, so loading it with delicious cripsy, warm halloumi and wild rice definitely makes this dish feel like more of a substantial meal. It’s perfect for your vegetarian friends but I also love to add grilled chicken to this sometimes too.

I always love the rice cold but with served with hot chicken/halloumi. This recipe is great for a BBQ / summers day salad! This dish is best served fresh (especially with the halloumi as it can sometimes have a rubbery texture the next day and you don’t get that nice crisp outside once it’s been in the dressing overnight). It’s packed full of flavour and I am sure you will love it as much as I do.

Ingredients (serves 4)

•  100g rocket leaves

•  2 bags of microwave brown / multigrain rice (I like the wholegrain & quinoa or ancient grains from Lidl)

•    225g Halloumi cheese cut into about 10 slices

•    About 15 cherry tomatoes (seeds removed and quartered)

•    ½ red onion (chopped fine)

• 1/2 a red bell pepper (diced small)

• Small handful chopped parsley

•    Juice of a lemon

•    3 tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar

•    2 tbsp olive oil

•    Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Method

1. Microwave your rice according to packet instructions, if you want the rice to be a part of a cold salad about 30 mins before preparing the rest of the salad. If you want the salad warm, this step can go at the very end before you dress the salad.

2. On a non-stick dry pan get it very hot and add the sliced halloumi. (I use a griddle steak pan to get the nice charring on the halloumi, but a regular pan works fine too)

3. Add your chopped vegetable to a large salad bowl with your rocket and toss together with your cold rice.

4. Turn halloumi after 2-3 mins (when it starts to brown and crisp up)

5. Get the same colour on the other side

6. Dress your salad with the lemon juice, oil & vinegar and make sure everything is mixed together

7. Lay your hot halloumi on top and serve. This dish is best served hot so add the halloumi to the salad straight away!

Roughly 507 calories per portion